Fine Arts

Bachelor of Fine Arts degree

Entrance requirements

Option 1: Secondary school (for students with secondary school graduation only)

1. B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent.
2. A minimum grade of C+ in English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12 (see Note).

Note: Students may also present English 12, English Literature 12, English 12 First Peoples, AP English, IB English A (standard level or higher level), or out-of-province equivalent.

3. Portfolio review.

Students who do not meet these requirements will be considered for the Visual Arts diploma or Qualifying Studies.

Option 2: University entrance (for students who have post-secondary credit in BFA-related courses)

• A minimum CGPA of 2.00 on all post-secondary credits completed and one of the following:
  • 15 university-level credits in BFA-related disciplines (see Note) with a minimum GPA of 2.00 on these courses.
  • A UFV diploma in Visual Arts, Graphic and Digital Design, or Theatre.
  • A UFV Associate of Arts degree with an option in Theatre or Media and Communication Studies.

Note: For the purpose of Admissions, credits earned in the following BFA-related disciplines will be considered: Art History, Film, Graphic and Digital Design, Media Arts, Media and Communication Studies, Scholarship of Creative Arts, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Credits earned in Creative Writing courses offered by the English department will also be considered: ENGL 104, ENGL 208, ENGL 211, ENGL 212, ENGL 213, ENGL 215, ENGL 302, ENGL 303, ENGL 311, ENGL 313, ENGL 315, ENGL 373, ENGL 378, ENGL 381, ENGL 390, and ENGL 405.

Option 3: (for students who have post-secondary credit, but not in BFA-related courses)

1. A minimum CGPA of 2.00 on all post-secondary credits completed.
2. Portfolio review.

All applicants to the BFA must meet the Degree/diploma level English language proficiency requirement. For details on how this requirement may be met, see the English language proficiency requirement section of the calendar.

When to apply

Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall and Winter semesters. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.

How to apply

1. Apply online at ufv.ca/admissions/apply.

   Additional documents required for a complete application:

   • Official secondary school transcript proving B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent.
   • Official transcripts (or interim transcripts) from all post-secondary institutions attended (excluding UFV) showing grade/course achievement as per entrance requirements. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to UFV from the originating institution; see the Transfer Credit section for details.
2. When their application has been processed by the Office of the Registrar, applicants will receive information on portfolio submission dates, and a copy of the portfolio requirements. Applicants under Option 1 and Option 3 must submit a portfolio of recently created art works and accompanying documentation, as directed in the portfolio requirements. Portfolio submission is not required at the time of application. Portfolio reviews are conducted on a regular basis throughout the application period.
3. Official notification of acceptance will be sent from the Office of the Registrar.
4. A deposit is required prior to registration (see the Fees and Other Costs section) and will be applied toward tuition fees.

Basis for admission decision

Applicants who meet the Option 2 entrance requirements will be admitted in order of their application date. This date is set when an application, all required documentation, and the application fee have been submitted. Applicants under Option 1 and Option 3 will be notified of their admission status after the portfolio review process is completed.

Fees and additional costs

See the Fees and Other Costs section. Students should budget for textbooks and additional supplies and materials costs for creative arts courses, which vary course-to-course. Courses in Graphic and Digital Design and Media Arts require students to pay differential tuition fees; for details see Program-specific fees.

Program duration

The BFA program can be completed in a minimum of four years of full-time study, with students taking 30 credits (approximately 10 courses) per calendar year. There is no required completion timeline for the BFA, and students can undertake part-time studies in this program.

Bachelor of Fine Arts requirements

There are two sets of requirements to note:

1. General BFA requirements
2. Program requirements (major or extended minors)

General BFA requirements

Students in the BFA degree must complete a minimum of 120 credits:

• At least 45 of the 120 credits must be at the upper level (300 or 400 level).
• At least 60 credits must be completed at UFV, of which 30 must be upper level.
• Requirements for at least one major or two extended minors must be satisfied.
• A minimum CGPA of 2.00 in the BFA program and a minimum CGPA of 2.00 in all upper-level credits is required.
• At least 15 credits must be completed at the upper level in each of two extended minor disciplines (see individual subject areas for specific extended minor requirements).
• Pre-college or preparatory courses will not satisfy program requirements.

Students in all BFA degree programs will complete the following general requirements.

Note 1: Students who received an A in English Studies 12, English First Peoples 12, or equivalent (English 12, English Literature 12, English 12 First Peoples, IB English A (standard level or higher level), or AP English), ENGL 091, or ENGL 099 are not required to complete one of CMNS 125, ENGL 105, ENGL 108, or ENGL 170.

Note 2: Students who have taken CMNS 120 prior to Fall 2021 can use that course to satisfy this requirement.

Program requirements (majors or extended minors)

Students in the BFA must declare a major or two extended minors in Fine Arts disciplines. Majors are available in Graphic and Digital Design and Visual Arts. Extended minors can be chosen from the following:

• Art History
• Creative Writing
• Graphic and Digital Design
• Media and Communication Studies
• Theatre
• Visual Arts

Students must select at least one creative practice discipline, chosen from Creative Writing, Graphic and Digital Design, Theatre, or Visual Arts.

Extended minors in Art History and Media and Communications Studies cannot be combined with each other in the BFA. Students wishing to combine these two disciplines should pursue a Bachelor of Arts.

Minors in Business and Communications may be added to the BFA. Minors from other program areas are not available in the BFA.

Declaration of major, extended minors, and minors

Formal declaration is completed by appointment with the BFA Academic Advisor.

Students may declare majors, extended minors, or minors after they have completed at least 30 credits with a minimum CGPA of 2.00 on all credits attempted, provided that they have also met the declaration requirements of the subject discipline where applicable. Declaration prior to 30 credits may be approved at the discretion of the BFA Academic Advisor in some instances.

Students must declare at least one major or two extended minors by the time they have completed 60 university-level credits. Students who have completed 60 credits but have not yet declared at least one major or two extended minors will not be permitted to register. Exceptions may be made in special circumstances by the BFA Academic Advisor.

Co-operative Education option

The Co-operative Education option provides students with the opportunity to acquire paid, career-related work experience in conjunction with their studies in the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program. See the Co-operative Education section for more details.

Program continuance

All students accepted into the BFA program at UFV are expected to maintain acceptable standards of scholarship. Specifically, they are expected to maintain a minimum CGPA of 2.00 on all courses.

Undergraduate continuance

Students enrolled in undergraduate courses (courses numbered 100 or higher) must maintain an undergraduate Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 2.00 to remain enrolled in Good Academic Standing at UFV. Students in Good Academic Standing will have no registration limits placed on them. Failure to meet the minimum CGPA requirement will result in restrictions on registration and may eventually lead to academic suspension from undergraduate studies at UFV. Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation are limited to registering in 10 credits. For further details, see the Academic standing and undergraduate continuance section of the academic calendar. Academic standing is governed by UFV's Undergraduate Continuance policy (92).

The academic standing of all students covered under this policy for courses where letter grades are assigned will be determined at intervals of nine credits at the start of students' academic careers and then at the end of every term after 27 credits have been completed. Students will be assessed after every term enrolled, but Academic Standing will only change at the intervals noted above. Students’ academic standing will be permanently reflected on their student record and will appear on official and unofficial transcripts.

After each semester, students put on Academic Warning, Academic Probation, or Required to Withdraw status or who are continued on Warning or Probation will be notified by the Registrar.

For assistance, see an Advisor or contact advising@ufv.ca.

Course repetition

Students are not permitted to register for the same course more than three times. Students wishing to register for a course for a fourth time should connect with the Student Rights and Responsibilities Office. Where a course has been repeated, only the higher grade is counted in the GPA calculation.

Readmission

Students who have been required to withdraw from UFV under the Undergraduate Continuance policy (92) are subject to readmission and continuance requirements as listed in the UFV academic calendar. Students are normally only readmitted once to the same program.

Students who have been required to withdraw will be advised to complete a further nine credits of academic work or to repeat a similar amount of academic work taken previously in order to demonstrate their academic abilities. Appeals must be received at least three months before the start of the semester for which a student has applied. Readmission is not automatic. If readmitted, students will be placed on Academic Warning again, subject to the conditions for Academic Warning as described above.

Residency

Students must complete at least 60 of the credits required for the BFA at UFV. At least 30 of these credits must be at the upper level, including at least seven upper-level credits counting toward each extended minor. Transfer credits and credits earned through prior learning assessment, including course challenge, do not meet this requirement. Students should consult the calendar section for their major or extended minors of choice, as there may be additional residency requirements for specific courses of study.

Graduation requirements

It is the student's responsibility to ensure all program requirements are met. This should be done by regular consultation with the BFA Academic Advisor. To be eligible to graduate, students must achieve a minimum program and cumulative GPA of 2.00. Degree candidates who qualify to receive a UFV degree must be approved by the BFA Academic Advisor and the Senate.

Students must apply for graduation in the first month of their final semester. Visit the Graduation webpage for more information. The final deadline for students who wish to attend the June Convocation ceremony is April 1 of each year, with all program requirements completed by April 30.

Course listings

For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.